Of Boiled Eggs and Hot Spas
by Charxelle
Summary: Cliff goes to soak himself the Hot Spring in Mother's Hillafter a hard harvest season. Claire decides to have spa-boiled eggs. You know what the heck will happen TWOSHOT Claiff
1. Chapter 1

**charxelle : ONESHOT!!1one!!1 LOL i made a fanfic! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! skips around**

**Doctor : 0.o Have you drank one too many bottles of turbojolt?**

**Elli: See? What did I tell you? Your medicine is too strong for her.**

**Doctor: I guess you're right. Looks like I have to do the intro.**

**Elli: Go ahead.**

**charxelle: sings the campfire song song while jumping on a stretcher**

**Doctor: ahem Well, this is my patient's fanfic called "Of Boiled Eggs and Hot Spas". Before she drank my medicine, she told me this is a oneshot. Mostly fluff and it's ClairexCliff. She calls it Claiff. sweatdrop And she wanted it to be reviewed so after reading charxelle's fanfic, please click the go button below and review. The characters belong to Natsume Inc. and only the fanfic belongs to her. Thank you.**

**charxelle: You BELONG to ME too YOU KNOW?! evil laugh**

**Doctor: o.0**

**Elli: Doctor, did you know that two of her other fanfics are named after food?**

**charxelle: MARSHMALLOWS!!111one!**

**Doctor: I do now. Well, for you readers, I'll read her fanfics for you. Here goes...**

**'Of Boiled Eggs and Hot Spas**

It was rare for Cliff to take breaks other than in Doug's Inn. He always had the same routine everyday, except for Saturdays, when he would have lunch with Duke and Manna.

"Bye, Cliff! We'll see you tomorrow, right? Tomorrow is Saturday, you know?" Manna chimed while waving goodbye to Cliff.

"I know that, Manna." Cliff politely said and smiled at Manna. Then he sighed as he turned his back against the Aja Winery.

This day had been a tiring day for him. It was the middle of autumn; harvest season for the grapes. This year, because of Cliff's special care and the ordered fertilizer, there had been more grapes than usual. Instead of about five and a half baskets of grapes, they needed seven baskets. It was even harder to bring them down carefully to the storage room.

Cliff wiped his forehead with a gloved hand (he always wears only one glove). He held tightly in his hand a bottle of wine that Duke kindly gave him as a reward besides the money.

Cliff arrived at the entrance of the inn. From the chatter he could hear from the outside, there were a lot of people at the inn. Probably partying, Cliff thought. He stared at the big door, wondering what to do next.

He never liked places with lots of noisy strangers. Even if they were his acquaintances, they aren't that close to him. It would seem awkward and strange for him to join a party where no one really knew him.

He decided not to enter the inn. Trying to get to sleep with lots of acquaintances partying will just make him more tired, he thought. Time for a change of plans.

Cliff went in the inn to drop off his wine in the room and then silently slipped through the party. From the looks of it, Ann had baked a cake for a celebrant. A birthday party then.

Cliff went south, passing Saibara's house, then May and Barley's. Cliff headed for Mother's Hill, an otherwise relaxing place. The walk there was okay, except it was far from the inn. He now wished he at least had a bike or a skateboard so he could travel faster. Cliff shrugged.

He shivered slightly. The almost-winter breeze was coming. And it became especially colder in the mountains. Cliff lightly jogged to the Hot Spring. But he decided to make an offering first.

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"Sorry, I have to leave early. Gotta take care of the farm," Claire excused herself from the birthday party. "Bye and happy birthday, Karen!"

She was happy to be invited Karen's birthday party but her farm mattered more, of course, especially now since two of her cows were pregnant, she had more chicks than chicken, and watering had somehow slipped her mind.

Claire ran to the farm. She had to water some plants and fast. It was about 6:00pm, half her farm was covered with crops and her watering can had NOT been upgraded. Claire was close to worrying.

"Naaa!! I have to hurry hurry hurry hurry hurry!!1one1!" Claire exclaimed in her usual light and airy voice. She rushed to her house, roughly slapped on some overalls, put away her flowery party dress and went out to water the plants…only to find out she had misplaced her watering can.

"WAAAH! WHERE IS IT!!" Claire frantically ran around the farm like a brainless chicken, glancing this way and that for her green watering can.

"WOOF WOOF!" Brownie was barking at Claire. She glanced at Brownie, hastily scanned the place around him and continued looking around for her watering can.

Brownie was annoyed that his stupid master ignored him. He ran over, bit the leg of her pants, and attempted to drag Claire.

"BROWNIE! Leggof me!" Claire waved her leg in the air, trying to shake Brownie off but he persisted. He barked some more and tried to direct his master to where her watering can was. Claire followed her dog and picked up her watering can. It was hidden somewhere behind the chicken coop.

"Thanks, boy." Claire patted Brownie's head and went to fill up her watering can with pond water. Brownie tilted his head and wondered if he had to stay up late to protect Claire from wild dogs. Brownie yawned.

--

**One and a half hours later…**

"I'm finally done!" Claire raised her hands (and watering can) in triumph. She had finished watering her crops with her little watering can before the 8 o' clock night bell. She was apparently proud of herself.

"And it's all thanks to Brownie!" Claire went over to him and patted the sleeping dog's head lightly. Then she went back to her house and took a quick shower before making dinner.

"So…what to make….what to make…?" Claire tapped her wooden spoon against her chin and crossed her arms over her apron. She wanted something that would give her energy to work the next day.

"Eggs!" Claire clapped her hands together. "I want Spa-Boiled eggs!" Then her expression dropped. "But then I would have to go up to the mountains at night. I'll bring Brownie along!"

So Claire scooped up Brownie, waking him up, and headed for Mother's Hill.

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--

Cliff relaxed his tired body in the hot spring. He closed his eyes and sank in the water until it was up till his nose. It was around seven now but it was okay with him. Besides, the hot spring had no closing time and it was getting late so no people would come around.

Like any other person who likes long warm baths, Cliff thought of his life.

"My job at the winery's fine…" he said in his mind. "…and Ann and Doug let me stay at the inn all the time. They're nice…and good cooks…Doug should let Ann study to become a professional chef…ah well."

Cliff changed his position in the hot spring. He sat up, making the water only go up to his stomach. Then he removed his ponytail and let his long brown hair down. He leaned on the side of the spring and closed his eyes again.

"Where was I?" he shifted through his thoughts for something to ponder on. "Yeah…the new farmer girl Claire. Everyone seems to be talking about her…what's so special about her anyway? Maybe I could meet her? Nah…" Cliff's eyebrows scrunched as he thought of it. "She's been here for quite a while now…over a year I think…"

--

--

--

"There it is!" Claire said as the hot spring came into view. She held 3 eggs in her basket. She approached the sign near the hot spring.

The sign read: "To make spa-boiled eggs, drop your egg into the spa and in a few minutes, it should pop out done."

Claire nodded and went to the hole in the hot spring's fence.

--

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--

Cliff's eyes fluttered open as he heard an audible 'ploop' of something dropping into the water. He scanned the area and to his surprise, Claire was standing on the opposite side of the hot spring, in the hole in the fence.

Claire made an audible gasp and her face turned strawberry red, visibly contrasting the blue of her eyes. She covered her mouth with her hand; staring at Cliff with wide eyes.

Cliff's face turned different shades of red and pink, seeing Claire stare at him like that. He only just realized he was naked in the hot spring but he couldn't move an inch. He was too stunned to move and he just stared back at Claire with a shocked expression plastered on his face.

Claire kept staring at him. She thanked the Goddess the Hot Spring was very steamy and half of Cliff's body was underwater but she still saw Cliff's bare chest and shoulder-length chocolate hair.

"I…I-I….I'm s-s-s-sorry!" Claire stuttered after about a minute of staring. She turned her face away from Cliff but remained in the spot. Cliff wished he could say something but he couldn't. Feelings shuffled through Cliff and Claire's minds.

"Oh my gosh, C-Cliff is **here!** Usually when I go here, nobody else is here but now Cliff is here and he doesn't usually go here but he's _here _and I'm here and he's staring at me and I was staring at him and he's naked and in the hot spring and OMG he looks so cute without the ponytail I wanna hug him but he's naked and I'm here at the hole in the fence some perverts must've made here OMG this is sooo awkward!"

"W-what the?! C-Claire!? T-That's Claire right? What in the world is she doing here late at night? And why is she there in the hole in the fence? Why is there even a hole?! Why did I pick this time to go in the Hot Spring? Oh no oh no oh no! She probably saw me naked! Of course she saw me! I have to get out of here when she's not looking!!"

Cliff inched nearer to the exit of the hot spring. He decided to make a run for the door and dress up as quickly as possible. He glanced at Claire. She wasn't looking but it seemed like she couldn't move from the spot where the hole was. She was blushing like mad, Cliff thought.

Claire heard a small splash of water and she quickly turned her face to look at Cliff. He was gone and sh saw the door slide shut.

"GAH! Why did I look?! I could've seen Cliff naked!" she almost screamed to herself, hoping a split second after that Cliff didn't hear that. Brownie just looked at his master and tilted his head, not making a sound.

Cliff quickly wrapped his lower body in a towel and now he was panting and leaning against the door to the hot spring. He wanted to see if Claire was still there and he wanted to know if she saw him get out! Then again, maybe not. He tried peering through the paper paneled door and he could make out the hot spring but not Claire.

Feeling conscious, Cliff quickly put on his white inner shirt, brown vest and pants and his single glove. He slowly headed for the exit and went outside. It had become really dark out and there was no light except for the few fireflies that were flying about.

Cliff looked around but he couldn't see to find Claire. "She must've left" Cliff said to himself. His face was still shifting through red shades. He jogged to the inn, hoping its doors weren't locked yet.

Meanwhile, Claire was running as fast as she could to her house. Her face was as red as hell and she couldn't believe the fact _she saw Cliff naked._ As soon as she entered her house, she threw her red face into a pillow and screamed into it.

"I didn't know Cliff could look that hot!" she said into the pillow. Brownie just shook its head in shame. Claire stood and dressed herself into a thin white nightgown and a few minutes later, she fell asleep.

**About 2 hours later…**

Knock knock knock

"Mffnmmm…" Claire mumbled. She stumbled to the light then opened the door.

"Um….s-sorry to bother y-you but…is it okay if I sleep in here for the n-night?" Cliff was at the door, still blushing and fumbling with his fingers.

Claire was instantly awakened at the sight of Cliff. Then she gave his request some thought. "It must've took him all of his courage to ask someone to let him sleep in their house, especially a girl….considering how terribly shy this guy is."

"Why? Aren't you staying at the inn?"

"The door were locked when I got there. No one could hear me knock." Cliff managed to say without stuttering. "A-and I'm sorry for earlier…I should've picked an-n-nother time to-"

"No, it's ok. You can stay here for the night, Cliff."

"T-thank you, Claire."

Claire wondered what had become of her dinner…'

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**Elli: That was a wonderful fanfic!**

**charxelle: sane and in a straight jacket Thankies! I would hug you if I could.**

**Doctor: Is this fanfic real? Did this really happen to Claire and Cliff?**

**charxelle: Stupid! It ain't real! That's why it's called a fanfic, doofus.**

**Elli: giggles**

**Doctor: sighs**


	2. Chapter 2

**Doctor: I'm glad charxelle's feeling better. My medicine must be really strong if you reacted like that --;;**

**Elli: giggle**

**charxelle: Your medicines should be B& I tell you! B&!! SNORTSNORT**

**Elli: whisper she's still under the medicine's effects.**

**Doctor :Shakes head and sighs she's in no condition to say the introduction. I'll do it then.**

**charxelle: B&! B&! B&! B&! B&!! Your medicine infects people minds and toys with them like eveil puppets! Doctor, I LOVE YOU! **

**Doctor "ahem Well, "Of Boiled Eggs and Hot Spas" was supposed to be a ONEshot but it magically? became a twoshot, due to a review. That didn't turn out to be...magical...at all...hmmm...**

**Elli: On with the next chapter! heehee!**

**charxelle: I'LL REPORT DOCTOR FOR BEING TOO HOT! AND Y'KNOW WHAT!? HIS _REAL_ NAME IS-**

**Elli: slaps author Like I said, on with the next chapter! **

**Doctor: sigh**

**Of Boiled Eggs and Hot Spas 2: Cliff's Overnight Stay**

Claire fetched her sleeping bag from the cabinet while Cliff stood aside, reluctantly fiddling with his fingers. She laid the sleeping bag down on the floor next to her bed.

"Sorry I don't have an extra pillow." Claire stood up and faced Cliff. Cliff's head snapped up to meet her face.

"Ah, t-that's ok." Cliff mumbled, still crimson-colored. He pried his fingers apart and sat on the sleeping bag, taking off his shoes and socks. "I-I hope you d-don't mind…" he said, keeping his eyes away from Claire's, who was turning off the lights.

"It's fine. Who sleeps with shoes on anyway?" Claire had apparently gotten over the recent scenario. She flipped off the lights when Cliff was done removing his shoes. Claire jumped and landed smack on her bed and covered her night-gowned self in white floral sheets.

However, having Cliff over reminded Claire of her previous "accident" and her mind stirred, streaming the event again and again in her mind, making her blush hotly.

Cliff was blushing so much he thought his ears would bleed from blood excessiveness. He was at Claire's house. And why did it have to be Claire? No one had ever talked to him except Carter, Duke, and Manna and Carter was fast asleep when he knocked on the church door. Manna and Duke were quarrelling again, from what Cliff heard from outside the door. Cliff didn't want to disturb anyone else and the inn was locked for the night.

But why Claire? Cliff felt something that made him feel like himself with Claire. He never actually talked to her. Just a few instances when they met in the Aja Winery. He could feel she was kind and happy-go-lucky.

"You asleep?" Cliff was startled at the voice. He looked up from his sleeping bag and Claire was leaning on her elbow, peering through the darkness at Cliff.

"No, I-I'm awake." He turned his gaze away from Claire's.

"Can't sleep too, huh?" Claire asked, smiling.

"Yeah…" Cliff nervously scratched the back of his neck. Then he suddenly realized that it was his fault that Claire couldn't sleep. "I-I'm sorry! I disturbed you in the middle of the night."

"It's alright." Claire lay back down on her pillow and sighed. "I was just….thinking…..about…stuff…" Claire blushed again, pulling her blankets over her hot pink cheeks. Cliff knew very well what she was talking about and did the same thing.

"Since we can't get to sleep, how about some of my famous milk?" Claire offered; to break the awkwardness.

"Thank you." Cliff nervously accepted. He stood to get the lights while Claire headed for the kitchen.

As soon as Cliff turned on the lights, he could see what Claire was wearing. He blushed an even darker red (if it was possible XD).

Claire was wearing a thin white lacy nightdress. It hugged her form perfectly and it was up to the middle of Claire's thighs. The neckline plunged to the bottom of her collarbones, though not exposing her bosom. Cliff promptly looked away.

"The milk's ready." Claire handed the over-blushing Cliff a glass of warm milk. Cliff extended a trembling hand, still looking away. He gave the glass a teensy sip and found it delicious. Before he knew it, he had gulped down the whole glass.

"That was great!" Cliff exclaimed. Claire smiled at Cliff.

"Thanks." Claire said then she giggled.

Cliff tilted his head to the side. "What's so funny?"

"You have a milk moustache!" Claire laughed and her body shook, spilling some of her remaining milk.

Cliff laughed too. It had been months since the last time he had ever laughed. He felt good.

"Look who's talking! You have milk all over your-"Cliff cut himself short, hitting himself mentally and shouting at his brain not to stare at Claire and her nightdress. He looked away and blushed again (for the millionth time).

"What?" Claire looked down at her nightdress. She had indeed spilled milk on part of it. "Oops! I better go change…" she said with a smile. She quickly grabbed a new nightdress and went to change in the bathroom.

Cliff set down his glass in the kitchen sink, wiping off his milky moustache. He tried to get Claire's image off his mind as he lay back down on his sleeping bag. For some reason, he couldn't forget Claire's face, her silky soft light blonde hair, her form-hugging white nightdress, her perfect smile…

"Sorry…" Claire emerged from the bathroom with her dirty nightdress in hand. She threw it in the hamper. Out of burning curiosity, Cliff removed the blanket from his head to look at what Claire was wearing now.

Claire was wearing a silk red nightgown this time. It came up to the middle of her thighs, like the last one. Spaghetti straps held the loose nightgown and the neckline plunged beyond the collarbone this time, exposing the top of her bosom.

"Why does Claire wear such nightgowns?" Cliff questioned his mind. He blushed again and hid his maroon face under his blanket before Claire noticed.

She switched off the lights and once again leaped into her bed, snuggling against the pillows.

The night was peaceful, except for Cliff, who had a nightmare.

The past replayed itself in Cliff's nightmare.

_He had just arrived in his hometown to visit his mother and sister. The house was suspiciously unlocked. Cliff went in an investigated the house._

_It was a clean and all of the furniture was in the right places._

_"Maybe mom and sis went shopping…" Cliff wondered. He went further into the house and went inside his room._

_His old room was small but livable. A bed here, a shelf there, and a few other shenanigans here and there. Even his old stuffed animals and pillows were in place. Cliff smiled at the memory._

_Since Cliff was short on money and far from Mineral Town, he decided to stay for at least a night. He laid down on his old bed and fell fast asleep._

_The next day, Cliff's mother and sister weren't back home yet._

_"Maybe they're out of town?" Cliff guessed. He went out and asked a neighbor where they went._

_"Why, hello, Cliff! Long time no see!" an elderly woman, who was a family friend, said._

_"Sorry to bother you…but h-have you seen my mother? And my sister?" Cliff asked in his usual shy way._

_The elderly woman's cheerful face dropped to a solemn expression. "So…you didn't know?"_

_Cliff's shy turned into a worried expression. His grip on the strap of his shoulder bag tightened. "Didn't know…about what?"_

_The elderly woman sadly sighed. "Your sister…she ran away from home…like you. Shortly after that, your mother got sick and because nobody was there to take care of her, she died soon after."_

_Grief struck Cliff's heart. He thanked the elderly woman for the information and went back to the house. He rushed to the kitchen, grabbed the biggest knife he could find and-_

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"**

Cliff screamed himself awake early in the morning. He bolted to a sitting position and panted heavily, wiping his forehead with him arm.

Claire woke up as soon as Cliff did. She was startled by the scream. Out if instinct, she immediately looked at Cliff.

"Cliff! Are you alright!?" Her eyes were wide with worry.

Cliff didn't answer. He stared into blank darkness, panting, trying to get the horrible image out of his mind. It was the past it should be forgotten, turned into something to remember and laugh about. It should be forgotten, it should be _forgotten, _it should be **FORGOTTEN!**

"Cliff! Cliff! **CLIFF!**" Claire repeated, truly worried now. He wasn't responding.

Cliff temporarily shook away the horrible memory to respond to Claire.

"I'm…I'm fine, Claire. I just had…a…night…….mare…I'm sorry." Cliff forced a smile, hoping Claire saw it even in the darkness, just to ease her worry. Cliff quickly laid back down on his sleeping bag and tried to get to sleep again, hoping the dream won't repeat.

"Oh, okay. Sweet dreams then." Claire laid back down on the bed, mentally telling herself that there was nothing to worry about. Just a nightmare, nothing too scary. Cliff's brave. She fell asleep again.

But for Cliff, it was horrifying. He closed his eyes to stop the tears from escaping but they got past the locked eyelids.

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The next morning, Claire prepared a special breakfast, mainly because she had a guest over. She cooked breakfast in her nightgown, as she usually did, which made Cliff turn crimson.

For breakfast, Claire prepared two servings of ice-cold milk, sunny-side-ups, carrot sticks with mayonnaise, pancakes with butter and honey, all of the ingredients coming from her farm. Claire chatted with Cliff, who answered in his usual way though only spoke when spoken to. He mostly kept silent.

"About what happened last night…" Claire started. Cliff stiffened and stopped chewing. He didn't exactly want to share something so personal in the morning.

"Sorry about peeking on you in the hot springs. I just wanted to make some spa-boiled eggs, you see." Claire was blushing again. Cliff sighed in relief.

"I-it's fine. It's n-not your fault." Cliff stuttered as he poked his sunny-side-up until the thin membrane broke and the yolk spilled all over. "I should've picked a better time than that late at night…(A/N: 7pm is probably considered late in Mineral Town since 8:00pm is when everyone locks up except for the inn)"

"Hey, it's ok. That's the past now. We should forget all that." Claire lightened up and smiled sweetly. Cliff nodded silently. "Besides, you looked cute without the ponytail."

"Wh-wh-what?!" Cliff turned different shades of crimson and maroon and looked away while Claire giggled.

"You're fun. Do you wanna be friends?" Claire offered kindly, knowing this cute guy hardly knows anyone else than Carter.

Cliff stopped shifting through redness and turned to face Claire. "Um…sure, I guess it's ok." He half-smiled at Claire before his eyes went down to look at her nightdress's neckline and looked away.

He cleared his throat. "Um…I have to leave…soon…I might be late for work at Duke and Manna's." he said. Claire nodded.

"I'll escort you out." She said before scooping in the last piece of pancake and standing up to lead him out of the farm.

Cliff exited the door and proceeded to the farm's exit with Claire following him.

"Visit again soon, Cliff!" Claire waved and smiled. Cliff blushed _again._

"Seeya."

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Cliff thought while watering the grape vines. He kind of felt guilty that Claire wasn't able to make her spa-boiled eggs and that he had to stay overnight at her place, wake her for the second time in the middle of the night, and have breakfast there too.

"Maybe I could pay her back with a couple of spa-boiled eggs, since I ruined hers." Cliff thought. He made up his mind to make her some to repay her.

After work, Cliff bought some eggs at Lillia's store and went to Mother's Hill to spa-boil them.

"Claire sure is friendly…" Cliff thought as he was making his way. He hiked upwards to the place and proceeded to the hole in the hot spring's fence.

He was about to drop an egg into the hot spring when something caught his eye.

To his shock, at the opposite side of the hot spring was Claire, staring back at his shocked face.

**Doctor: My goodness, did that really happen!?**

**charxelle: STOOPEED! IT'S A FANFIC! YOU REALLY DON'T GET WHAT IN THE FANFICS ARE, RIGHT!?**

**Doctor: Um...?**

**Elli: She's right. At least I do. giggles**

**charxelle: Yes! of course you do, Elli! You're smarter.**

**Doctor: Enough of this nonsense!!**

**charxelle: Hey, did you two know? I've seen some lemony fanfics of both of you somewhere...**

**Doctor and Elli: sweatdrop;;**


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